I talked to a coworker (who lives in Virginia Beach, VA) who received a phone call this week asking him to contact his local politicians and voice a protest against the project here in Mobile. He and I had a conversation about the whole situation, so he was aware that the planes would be assembled here in Mobile. The caller told him that the tankers would be built overseas. He argued they were going to be built here and the lady caller told him she didn't know that. Then she told him he was wrong and proceeded to hang up on him.
I guess some people will not stop at anything to get this project taken away from us. I'm not sure who she said she was representing but I would venture to say that Boeing had a hand in it.
Just another reason to support EADS and keep those tankers here in the port city!!

This is an excellent example of the mis-information campaign by Boeing that relies on lies, half-truths, and ignorance. The sad bottom line is that they will probably get away with it! One of the TV stations contacted the 40 odd congressmen who signed the protest letter to President Bush and it was interesting that at least one of the aides (she wasn't able to speak with ANY congressmen) didn't even know where Mobile, AL was. I hope that the GAO looks at the facts and bases any decision on facts and not the smear campaign that is being waged. Unfortunately, politics as usual will more than likely be the deciding factor; politicians bought and paid for by Boeing have already stated that if the GAO review isn't favorable to Boeing, they will then block financing for the tankers. In the parlance of the playground "If I don't get my way, I'll show you who's boss (bully?)" .

The contract will probably pass the GAO examination, because I think the selection committee followed the letter of the law. But, people like Norm Dicks are already working to kill funding for the contract, which could delay it for years. As a junior senator Obama has already voted to deny our armed forces their basic needs while in combat, so it is a no-brainer in which direction he will go on defense spending.

I hope our military know which politicians are putting their lives in further danger!